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HMIS is used by state and federally funded homeless and housing service providers to collect and manage data gathered during the course of providing housing assistance to people already experiencing homelessness and to households at risk of losing their housing.
- Explanation of Washington’s HMIS (PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions About HMIS (PDF)
- WA State Legislative website – HMIS consent law: Washington homeless client management information system (RCW 43.185C.180)
HMIS Training
Our Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) trainings are intended for staff working for agencies already set up with HMIS access through the Department of Commerce. If your agency is not using HMIS yet, but is interested in or planning to do so, please read the Frequently Asked Questions about HMIS (PDF). Before registering for training, please read the HMIS Training Catalog for pre-training requirements. Register for trainings using the HMIS Training Registration Calendar. Trainings are updated frequently.
Please review the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Training Catalog before registering for trainings using the HMIS Training Registration Calendar and HMIS Training FAQ (PDF). Commerce trainings are free of charge. You may take as many trainings as you like and retake trainings.
Taken a training already? Share your training feedback: HMIS Training Evaluation. Additional HMIS training questions? Contact Maylee Stevenson, maylee.stevenson@commerce.wa.gov
HMIS Resources
- HMIS Agency Partner Agreement – Updated 6/7/2018 (PDF)
- HMIS Informed Consent Form – Updated 6/7/2018 (PDF)
- HMIS Consent Form in Spanish – Updated 6/26/2018 (PDF)
- HMIS Interagency Data Sharing Agreement (PDF)
- HMIS Client Revocation of Consent Form – Updated 6/7/2018 (PDF)
- HMIS Client Revocation of Consent Form in Spanish – Updated 6/26/2018 (PDF)
- HMIS Client Privacy Rights -Notice of Uses & Disclosures (Word)
- HMIS User Policy Example – Updated 6/7/2018 (PDF) (The actual agreement is an electronic form in HMIS.)
Sample Forms / Templates
- HMIS Guidance for Domestic Violence and Consent Refused Providers (PDF)
- Consent Refused Client Profile: HMIS Data Entry Guide – Step by Step Instructions (PDF)
- Clarity HMIS Help Portal (website)
- Learn Excel – Resources List (PDF)
- HMIS Basic Steps Cheat sheet (PDF)
- Clarity Management Reports Details/Crosswalk (PDF)
- Rapid Re-Housing: Project & Housing Move-in Date Guide (PDF)
- Permanent Housing: Project & Housing Move-in Date Guide (PDF)
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Data Standards:
HUD manuals to assist HMIS Lead Agencies and Continuums of Care (CoCs) to correctly set up projects in HMIS can be found on each of these HUD webpages:
- CoC Program HMIS Manual (web)
- ESG Program HMIS Manual (web)
- HOPWA Program HMIS Manual (web)
- PATH Program HMIS Manual (web)
- RHY Program HMIS Manual (web)
- VA Programs HMIS Manual (web)
- HUD-VASH Program HMIS Manual (web)
Send HUD Feedback at the HUD Exchange “Get Assistance” (webpage). Please direct HUD specific suggestions, feedback, and questions to HUD directly via their online Ask A Question.
Explanation of Commerce’s partnership with Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) (PDF)
Statewide HMIS data is used to produce several reports and publications using aggregated (containing no identifying client information) data. HMIS data is cross-match with DSHS and other state agency data through DSHS RDA. HMIS client data is not to be used for any other purpose except research and aggregate reporting.
Search for relevant DSHS RDA reports on the FFA Research and Data Analysis page. Tip: search for the subject “Homelessness.”
DSHS-HMIS Analysis of Matched Data Published Reports:
- Identifying Homeless and Unstably Housed in Multiple Systems – April 2012 (web)
- January 2014 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- July 2014 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- Homeless and Unstably Housed K-12 Students in Washington State – January 2015 (web)
- January 2015 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- July 2015 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- January 2016 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- July 2016 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- January 2017 Snapshot of Homelessness in WA State (PDF)
- December 2016 (web)
- November – No Newsletter
- October 2016 (PDF)
- September 2016 (web)
Sign up for Commerce newsletters to receive them by email or text. For HMIS newsletters, choose “Affordable Housing and Homelessness,” then go to Subscriber Preferences to add or remove topics.
Program Links
Consolidated Homeless Grant
Annual Point in Time Count
Continuum of Care
Emergency Solutions Grant
Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)
HUD Section 811 Rental Assistance
Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP)
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
Homeless System Performance
Office of Homeless Youth
Homeless Councils
HMIS Technical Assistance
Our HMIS Technical Assistance (TA) Staff (PDF) are available to help with your HMIS database needs.
Alicia Osborne
HMIS TA Help Desk
alicia.osborne@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-522-2563
Maylee Stevenson
HMIS TA & Trainings
maylee.stevenson@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-2984
Talia Scott
Advanced HMIS TA & Data Integration
talia.scott@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-2989
Nick Mondau
Federal Programs and HMIS Data Systems Manager
nick.mondau@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3028
How are we doing?
Your feedback is important to us. Take our quick survey and let us know what you think. Links will redirect you to Survey Monkey.
HMIS Technical Assistance Customer Survey
HMIS Training Evaluation
Thank you for your feedback.